[Previous Amendments to Cass County Order No. 96-09, 5-29-1997,
1-14-1999, 1-24-2000; Cass County Order No. 96-09 §§A--G,
1-11-2001; Cass County Order No. 12-02, 1-20-2012]
A.
Business And Travel Expenses. Employees shall exercise restraint
and keep the best interests of the taxpayers in mind when incurring
travel expenses to be paid by the County. Elected officials are responsible
for authorizing business and travel expenses and for ensuring that
employees comply with established polices. Prior to traveling, employees
are encouraged to review the most recent revisions to these policies.
Elected officials are responsible for documenting and substantiating
the business purpose of all expenses to be charged to the County and
should be prepared to provide such documentation upon request. Travel
expenses incurred by an employee for personal benefit or personal
preference shall not be charged to the County. Travel expenses incurred
by a family member or friend who may accompany an employee in authorized
travel shall not be charged to the County.
Travel expenses are generally paid one (1) of three (3) ways
(Refer to "Method of Payment" Section below):
B.
Allowable Expenses.
1.
Meal and incidental expenses. Cass County will reimburse
employees for meals and incidental expenses incurred while traveling
away from home to perform official County business. "Travel
away from home" is defined as overnight travel or travel
such that:
a.
The employee's duties require them to be away from the general area
of their home substantially longer than an ordinary day's work (must
be in travel status twelve (12) hours or more); and
b.
The employee needs to sleep or rest to meet the demands of their
work while away from home.
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Meals that are included as part of registration such as banquets,
buffets, plated meals, boxed lunches, etc., shall not be reimbursable.
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The maximum reimbursement allowable per meal per day, which
includes fifteen percent (15%) for tips, is as follows:
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(1)
Breakfast — $10.00
(2)
Lunch — $15.00
(3)
Dinner — $20.00
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No reimbursements are allowed for alcoholic beverages or tobacco
products.
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Elected officials and/or employees may request reimbursement
based upon actual expenses, not to exceed the allowable per diem (forty-five
dollars ($45.00) a day includes tip). Elected officials or employees
are required to submit all receipts to justify meal expenses.
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2.
Mileage, airfare, or other commercial transportation. When official travel is authorized, an employee's private car may
be used and mileage reimbursement may be paid at the maximum rate
authorized by the County Commission.
For out-of-State travel, the elected official is responsible
for selecting the mode of travel most economical and appropriate for
the County. An employee may use an alternate means of transportation
(such as driving his/her personal vehicle), if approved by the elected
official. In this event, transportation reimbursement paid to the
employee for costs incurred for the alternate means of transportation
shall not exceed the amount that would have otherwise been paid for
the most economical and appropriate mode of travel.
Whenever an employee is granted permission to use an alternate
means of transportation for out-of-State travel, documentation of
the amount that would have otherwise been paid for the most economical
and appropriate mode of travel must be provided in order to claim
reimbursement for travel expenses. Documentation may include, but
is not limited to, travel fare price quotes (net of all usual and
customary discounts such as advance booking discounts), quoted parking
fees, and quoted taxi services or shuttle services that would have
been incurred if the usually acceptable commercial transportation
had been used. For airline travel, the quote should reflect the cost
of coach class.
Employees traveling in a County car should submit receipts for
refueling the County car.
**Mileage rates for Cass County shall be forty-seven
and one-half ($.475) cents per mile driven for County business as
of July 1, 2008.**
3.
Rental car, cab fares, shuttle, or other transportation fees. Employees may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses such as shuttle
service, cab fares, limousine service, bus rides, rental car fees,
and other forms of transportation required for business purposes.
The employee shall, at all times, attempt to secure the least costly
form of transportation. Employees must provide a written explanation
for car rental and/or unusual transportation fees.
Employees may be requested to provide written justification
that the selected transportation was the most suitable and economical
means of transportation available.
4.
Room accommodations. The County pays for single
rate occupancy for overnight lodging pertaining to official County
business. Employees should inquire about applicable discounts, such
as conference rates and government rates.
If motel or hotel accommodations are located in Missouri, a
Missouri Tax Exemption Form must be used either at time of reservation
or when paying the bill upon checkout. The Tax Exemption Form should
be obtained from the Human Resources Department. The County will not
pay or reimburse Missouri sales tax.
5.
Registration fees for seminars, conferences and other training. The County will pay the costs for registrations pertaining to authorized
training. Employees are encouraged to take advantage of all available
discounts.
C.
Methods Of Payment.
1.
Pre-payment of travel expenses directly to vendor. Elected officials may request advance payment for registration,
travel fare, meals and incidental expense and room accommodations.
Requests for payment should include documentation, consisting of,
but not limited to, original invoices, official registration forms
and confirmations, or official fax or e-mail confirmations. All pre-payments
will be made payable to the respective agency, organization, airline,
travel agency, or hotel; checks for these expenses will not be made payable to the elected official or employee. However, the
checks may be returned to the elected official or employee for personal
delivery, if requested.
2.
Reimbursement to employee. Employees requesting
reimbursement for mileage and/or other types of travel or food expenses
should use the Mileage/Reimbursement Form. This form should be completed
in its entirety and all receipts attached to form. The form should
be signed by the employee and the elected official.
3.
Travel cash advance(s) paid to employee. A request
for a travel cash advance must be approved and signed by the responsible
elected official and is restricted to situations where the elected
official believes non-payment of a travel cash advance will impose
a financial hardship on the employee. Travel cash advance will not
be made for expenses that could have been handled as a pre-payment
of travel expenses (see above). Supporting documentation justifying
the need for the requested amount must be attached to the requisition.
Any unused portion of the travel cash advance must be promptly returned
to the Cass County Treasurer. A copy of the approved Request For Employee
Travel Advance Form must be attached. These documents should be signed
by the elected official and submitted to the Auditor's office within
ten (10) days of return from travel. Failure to file the necessary
documents may result in a payroll withholding for the amount of the
travel cash advance.
D.
Association Dues. No reimbursement shall be considered for
payment for employee association dues that are not unique to their
employment with Cass County.
[Cass County Order No. 01-05, 11-8-2001]
A.
This
Commission, on behalf of Cass County, Missouri, an employer under
the Missouri Local Government Employees' Retirement System, hereby
elected the following:
1.
To adopt no change in the contributions from covered employees, keeping
the requirement of no contributions from covered employees in accordance
with the provisions of Sections 70.705 and 70.730, RSMo., 1986, as
amended by RSMo. 1988 Supp.
2.
To adopt no change in the method of determining a member employee's
final average salary, keeping a thirty-six (36) consecutive-month
period for determining a member employee's final average salary in
accordance with Sections 70.600 and 70.656, RSMo., 1986, as amended
by RSMo. 1988 Supp.
3.
To adopt a change in the Benefit Program of member employees, changing
to Benefit Program L-6 (2.0%).
4.
To adopt no change in the Benefit Program of member employees, keeping
member employees' option of retirement upon attaining minimum service
retirement age.
B.
The
Clerk shall certify this election to the Missouri Local Government
Employees' Retirement System within ten (10) days hereof. Such election
shall be effective on the first (1st) day of January, 2002.